Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Dukhan Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Dukhan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,667 in Dukhan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,265 in Dukhan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,862 in Dukhan, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 48% cheaper than Dukhan, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Dukhan is 24% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$7.00 QAR 25.49

-71.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$55.9 QAR 203

-66.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$6.77 QAR 24.66

14.48%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.67 QAR 42.46

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.94 QAR 39.84

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$5.01 QAR 18.23

-61.68%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.78 QAR 2.84

1.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.31 QAR 1.12

16.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$2.06 QAR 7.50

-19.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.55 QAR 5.66

5.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$2.15 QAR 7.82

-44.65%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.57 QAR 9.37

-22.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$11.45 QAR 41.68

39.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$7.85 QAR 28.57

-61.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$10.51 QAR 38.26

3.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$2.04 QAR 7.44

35.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.61 QAR 5.86

-26.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.57 QAR 5.72

4.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$1.45 QAR 5.29

4.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.02 QAR 3.73

35.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.13 QAR 4.10

5.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$1.34 QAR 4.86

-47.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.45 QAR 1.63

24.44%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$9.58 QAR 34.87

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 QAR 6.55

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 QAR 10.70

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$6.50 QAR 23.66

-29.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$2.26 QAR 8.24

-39.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$2.24 QAR 8.15

-40.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$13.83 QAR 50.4

-43.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$0.56 QAR 2.05

119.64%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$22.8K QAR 83.1K

-5.33%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$20.6K QAR 75.1K

9.29%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$70.5 ฿2,298

$92.6 QAR 337

-23.78%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.68 ฿445

$37.16 QAR 135

-63.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$87.0 QAR 317

-79.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$12.25 QAR 44.59

-52.90%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$307 ฿10.0K

$802 QAR 2,919

-61.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$11.7K QAR 42.7K

24.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$61.4 QAR 223

-9.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$55.9 QAR 203

-53.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$100.0 QAR 364

-14.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$89.8 QAR 327

-19.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$1,395 QAR 5,077

-69.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$931 QAR 3,389

-74.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$1,734 QAR 6,312

-52.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$1,167 QAR 4,248

-56.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$4,044 QAR 14.7K

-84.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.08

-17.76%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Dukhan: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $1,395 in Dukhan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 553% higher in Dukhan, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $56.0 in Dukhan. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $210 in Dukhan – so Dukhan wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Chiang Mai vs Dukhan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dukhan costs about 92% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,500 in Dukhan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $56.0 in Dukhan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 15% cheaper in Dukhan – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $869, than in Dukhan at $1,667. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dukhan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,667 in Dukhan. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Dukhan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.